2026 WA GIS Conference: Full Schedule

8:30am PDT

Kayak-Based Citizen Science: Mapping Real-Time Water Temperature in Puget Sound with GIS

Thursday May 21, 2026 8:30am - 9:00am PDT

EcoTrackrs is a GIS-driven citizen science initiative by EarthViews Conservation Society designed to address a critical gap in nearshore monitoring: the lack of high-resolution, spatially distributed water temperature data in Puget Sound. Existing monitoring systems are often fixed or coarse in scale, limiting their ability to capture localized variability driven by climate change, shoreline complexity, and urban impacts.

This project uses kayaks as mobile data collection platforms, enabling access to shallow and complex nearshore environments that are difficult to monitor using traditional methods. Volunteer kayakers are equipped with temperature sensors and a custom mobile app to collect synchronized GPS and temperature data in real time. These data are processed and visualized using Esri tools, including ArcGIS Online and Experience Builder, creating an interactive and publicly accessible map.

As a proof of concept, the pilot generated over 4,600 geolocated temperature data points across multiple locations in Puget Sound, demonstrating both feasibility and scalability.

This presentation will outline the full workflow from kayak-based data collection to GIS visualization, as well as key lessons learned in sensor selection, app development, and volunteer engagement. It will also highlight how this approach complements existing agency monitoring by providing fine-scale, flexible datasets that can inform climate resilience and waterway management.

EcoTrackrs demonstrates how GIS-enabled, community-driven data collection can expand monitoring capacity, improve spatial resolution, and support more responsive environmental decision making.

Speakers

Brian Footen

Director/Expedition Lead, EarthViews Conservation Society

Brian Footen is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of EarthViews Conservation Society, where he directs the application of GIS and immersive mapping technologies to protect waterways across Washington State and the Western U.S. With over 20 years of experience working with Tribal... Read More →

Thursday May 21, 2026 8:30am - 9:00am PDT
409

Environment, RT Mapping

9:00am PDT

Using GIS to calculate geomorphological change in a river system over time

Thursday May 21, 2026 9:00am - 9:30am PDT

409

We used ArcGIS Pro to determine channel migration over time in a river system in North Dakota. The discipline of geomorphology has defined parameters that describe river migration, but there are no accepted methodologies for measuring these parameters in the real world. Using GIS, we came up with unique methodologies, some built on published papers and others built from scratch. The result is a suite of methodologies that are replicable across projects and multiple years of analysis. We used these methodologies to calculate the change over time in several geomorphological characteristics, including bend amplitude and wavelength, average river width, meander belt width, sinuosity, and meander migration. This presentation will describe these characteristics and the GIS methods used in our calculations. Of note is the method used to calculate meander migration, for which we successfully replicated a methodology written by Joon Heo et al. in 2009, using least squares regression analysis.

Speakers

Katie Messick

GIS Analyst/Staff Scientist, WEST Consultants, Inc.

Katie Messick holds master’s degrees in GIS and Forestry from the University of Washington and has been using GIS in her work for 25 years. She has spent the last 10 years as a GIS Analyst and Staff Scientist at WEST Consultants, Inc., which is a small water resources engineering... Read More →

Thursday May 21, 2026 9:00am - 9:30am PDT
409

Environment, Geomorphology

9:30am PDT

Spatial patterns of foraging activity in endangered killer whales shift with changes in Chinook salmon abundance

Thursday May 21, 2026 9:30am - 10:00am PDT

409

Critically endangered Southern Resident killer whales (SRKW) rely heavily on Chinook salmon as their primary food source. Declining salmon stocks, coupled with vessel noise and habitat degradation, are pushing the population towards an extinction vortex. By integrating 20 years of SRKW behavioral research with a regional Chinook salmon index, we developed spatial models to compare whale distribution and behavior in the waters of the U.S. San Juan Islands and Canadian Southern Gulf Islands during periods of varying prey abundance. GIS allowed us to harmonize disparate datasets and visualize habitat use relative to static management boundaries. We found that in low salmon years, foraging became more diffuse and shifted beyond their historical core summer habitat, highlighting potential mismatches between dynamic ecological processes and fixed conservation zones. Our approach demonstrates how GIS can inform adaptive, transboundary management. SRKW survival and recovery depends on international collaboration and safeguarding of habitat.

Speakers

Kimberly Nielsen

Research Associate, Oceans Initiative

Kimberly is a marine ecologist driven by a deep commitment to using science to support conservation. Her work has taken her from the Northeast Pacific to Antarctica, studying how highly mobile species like cetaceans respond to environmental and anthropogenic change.

She is currently a Research Associate with the non-profit Oceans Initiative, where she contributes to a broad range of applied conservation research. Her work spans field-based data collection, spatial and statistical modeling, and scientific writing, with a focus on translating data... Read More →

Thursday May 21, 2026 9:30am - 10:00am PDT
409

Environment, Whales

10:30am PDT

Advancing Spatial Data Collaboration for Ecosystem Recovery: An Overview of the PSEMP Spatial Data Work Group

Thursday May 21, 2026 10:30am - 11:00am PDT

409

Spatial data is essential for understanding complex environmental systems, informing decisions, and coordinating actions across jurisdictions and organizations. The Puget Sound Ecosystem Monitoring Program (PSEMP) Spatial Data Work Group (SDWG) is a collaborative network of spatial data users, producers, and intermediaries dedicated to advancing the effective use of spatial data in support of ecosystem recovery and decision-making across the Puget Sound region.

In this session, we’ll provide an overview of the SDWG’s purpose, achievements, and opportunities for engagement. Attendees will learn how the SDWG fosters collaboration, improves understanding of available spatial data resources, and builds shared awareness of regional spatial data needs and challenges. The SDWG’s mission is to support ecosystem recovery by strengthening coordination around data standards, identifying critical gaps, and bridging technical experts with decision makers.

We’ll highlight key contributions and activities, including development of curated data recommendations, cross-partner workshops on priority topics (e.g., LiDAR processing workflows and wetland intrinsic potential), and the formation of Focus Teams - short-term collaborative groups tackling specific spatial data challenges such as riparian monitoring and stormwater data integration.

The presentation will also showcase how the SDWG serves as a platform for knowledge sharing, offering archived workshop materials, networking opportunities, and avenues for practitioners to influence regional spatial data priorities. Whether you’re a GIS analyst, data scientist, or resource manager, you’ll discover how participation in SDWG can enhance your spatial data practice, expand professional networks, and contribute to impactful environmental outcomes.

Join us to explore how this regional effort leverages GIS expertise to strengthen spatial data ecosystems, address data gaps, and drive collaborative solutions for Puget Sound’s most pressing environmental challenges.

Speakers

Tyson Z Waldo

North Sound SSHIAP Biologist, Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission

Tyson has been working as a regional salmon habitat biologist and GIS analyst for the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission (NWIFC) for over 20 years. He was integral in developing the Salmon and Steelhead Inventory and Assessment Project (SSHIAP) database at the Northwest Indian... Read More →

Mike Leech

Technology Services Practice Leader, Environmental Science Associates (ESA)

Mike Leech is the Technology Services Practice Leader at Environmental Science Associates (ESA) and serves as Coordinator for the Puget Sound Ecosystem Monitoring Program (PSEMP) Spatial Data Work Group (SDWG). He brings over 20 years of experience leading geospatial, data management... Read More →

Thursday May 21, 2026 10:30am - 11:00am PDT
409

Environment, PSEMP

11:00am PDT

Estimating the Climate Resiliency of WA Dairy Farms

Thursday May 21, 2026 11:00am - 12:00pm PDT

409

According to climate models, northwest Washington will experience progressively wetter winters in the coming decades. Dairy farms collect and store manure in large ponds for later use as fertilizer, and the volume of those ponds is greatly influenced by precipitation. Do these ponds have the capacity to hold additional winter rainfall? Or will dairies need to adapt to prevent overflow events?

WSDA’s Nutrient Management Technical Services team has come up with winter storage preparedness estimates for over 30 dairies in Whatcom and Snohomish counties. This presentation will walk through the steps involved in completing this project, from collecting data to generating reports to sharing results with dairy farmers. Additionally, it will cover how Python was utilized to perform complex calculations and how reports were designed using HTML and CSS.

Speakers

Michael Lowry

GIS Analyst, Washington State Department of Agriculture

Michael Lowry is the GIS Analyst for WSDA’s Nutrient Management Technical Services, a program that works with dairy farmers to protect water quality. He has worked on a wide variety of projects that aim to provide the NMTS team with tools and data to get more done in less time... Read More →

Thursday May 21, 2026 11:00am - 12:00pm PDT
409

Environment, Climate